Saudi Arabia stops 269,678 Muslims without Hajj permits from entering Mecca
FILE - Muslim pilgrims use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun as they gather outside Nimrah Mosque to offer the noon prayers in Arafat, on the second day of the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File)
By BARAA ANWER
Saudi Arabia stopped more than 269,000 people without permits for the annual Hajj pilgrimage from entering Mecca, officials said Sunday, as authorities crack down on illegal journeys into the city.
The government blames overcrowding at the Hajj on unauthorized participants. It also says they made up large numbers of those who died in last year's searing summer heat.
The number of expulsions highlights the scale of unauthorized pilgrimages — as well as the demand to perform the Hajj. There are currently 1.4 million Muslims in Mecca officially, with more expected to arrive in the days to come.
There are fines of up to $5,000 and other punitive measures, like deportation, for anyone performing the Hajj without a permit. The policy includes citizens and those with Saudi residency.
At a press conference in Mecca, officials said they had stopped 269,678 people without permits from entering the city. According to the rules, only those with permits are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, even if they live in the city year-round.
Officials have also imposed penalties on more than 23,000 Saudi residents for violating Hajj regulations and revoked the licenses of 400 Hajj companies.
Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Omari told the media: 'The pilgrim is in our sight, and anyone who disobeys is in our hands.'
The Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and involves a series of religious rituals. It's a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to do it.
But it has been marred in recent years by concerns about extreme temperatures, with pilgrims performing their rituals outdoors in peak daylight hours.
Historically, deaths are not uncommon at the Hajj, which has seen at times over 2 million people travel to Saudi Arabia for a five-day pilgrimage. It has also seen fatal stampedes and other accidents.
Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense said Sunday that drones were being used for the first time at the Hajj. These can be used for surveillance and monitoring, as well as extinguishing fires.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Japan Times
a day ago
- Japan Times
Saudi Arabia cracks down on unauthorized Hajj pilgrims, aiming to save lives
Saudi Arabia is readying a crackdown on unregistered worshippers at next week's Hajj pilgrimage, a year after hundreds perished in scorching conditions. Regular raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts are aimed at rooting out unauthorized visitors hoping to mingle among the crowds in and around the holy city of Mecca. The simple message, "No hajj without a permit," is being blared out in a relentless campaign promoted nationwide at shopping centers, on billboards and across media platforms. Last year, 1,301 pilgrims, most of them unregistered and lacking access to air-conditioned tents and buses, died as temperatures soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius. "Since the end of last season, we realized the biggest challenge is preventing unauthorized pilgrims from undermining the success of the Hajj season," said one official helping organize the Hajj, requesting anonymity. The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be completed by all Muslims with the means at least once. Yet official permits are allocated to countries through a quota system and distributed to individuals via a lottery. Even for those who can obtain them, the steep costs make the irregular route — which costs thousands of dollars less — more attractive. Saudi officials said 83% of those who died last year did not have official Hajj permits. Temperatures of up to 44 C are forecast next week. 'Unprecedented' security To seek out unregistered pilgrims, Saudi authorities have rolled out a new fleet of drones to monitor entrances into Mecca. Security forces have also raided hundreds of apartments in search of people hiding out in the area. An Egyptian engineer living in Mecca, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said his building was raided multiple times in recent weeks. "Police officers in uniform came to my home twice and asked to see my and my wife's residency permits," he said. "Almost everywhere, we're being asked to show residency or work permits in Mecca. The security presence is unprecedented." The problem of illicit pilgrims has become acute since Saudi Arabia loosened visa restrictions in line with economic reforms, trying to attract more tourism and business. Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have used family and tourist visas, instead of the designated Hajj visa, to enter the country each year. Fines and bans Saudi Arabia is now trying to cut off the problem at source, restricting multiple-entry visas for citizens of several countries since January. Family and tourist visas were also barred to nationals of more than 10 countries, including Egypt, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Jordan. Umar Karim, an expert on Saudi affairs at the University of Birmingham, said officials previously focused on "deterring people but not stopping them" from coming before Hajj. "Saudi authorities have seen that once these people are inside the kingdom, stopping them from physically entering Mecca is a difficult task even if a huge number of security officials are deployed," he added. For the past month, entry into Mecca has been restricted to individuals with work and residency permits. Many people in Mecca have been forced to send their wives and children, who lack the proper visas, out of the city. Pilgrims coming for umrah — similar rites that can be performed year-round — have also been required to leave. Meanwhile, fines for an illicit Hajj have doubled to 20,000 Saudi riyals ($5,333), with violators facing a 10-year ban from the country. Those found to be harboring and helping unauthorized pilgrims can be fined up to 100,000 riyals. "All of this is aimed at ensuring that Mecca is reserved exclusively for authorized pilgrims during the Hajj season," the official added. Residents of Mecca said the crowds there have noticeably thinned compared to previous years. However, officials said Tuesday that more than a million pilgrims had already arrived in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj. Last year's Hajj deaths were a high-profile example of the havoc wrought by heat in 2024, which the Copernicus Climate Change Service said was the hottest year ever recorded. While the pilgrimage, which follows a lunar calendar, will eventually shift to the cooler winter season, relief will be temporary. A 2019 study published by the journal Geophysical Research Letters said that because of climate change and the timing of the Hajj, heat stress for pilgrims will exceed the "extreme danger threshold" from 2047 to 2052, and from 2079 to 2086.
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Japan Today
Saudi Arabia stops 269,678 Muslims without Hajj permits from entering Mecca
FILE - Muslim pilgrims use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun as they gather outside Nimrah Mosque to offer the noon prayers in Arafat, on the second day of the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File) By BARAA ANWER Saudi Arabia stopped more than 269,000 people without permits for the annual Hajj pilgrimage from entering Mecca, officials said Sunday, as authorities crack down on illegal journeys into the city. The government blames overcrowding at the Hajj on unauthorized participants. It also says they made up large numbers of those who died in last year's searing summer heat. The number of expulsions highlights the scale of unauthorized pilgrimages — as well as the demand to perform the Hajj. There are currently 1.4 million Muslims in Mecca officially, with more expected to arrive in the days to come. There are fines of up to $5,000 and other punitive measures, like deportation, for anyone performing the Hajj without a permit. The policy includes citizens and those with Saudi residency. At a press conference in Mecca, officials said they had stopped 269,678 people without permits from entering the city. According to the rules, only those with permits are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, even if they live in the city year-round. Officials have also imposed penalties on more than 23,000 Saudi residents for violating Hajj regulations and revoked the licenses of 400 Hajj companies. Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Omari told the media: 'The pilgrim is in our sight, and anyone who disobeys is in our hands.' The Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and involves a series of religious rituals. It's a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to do it. But it has been marred in recent years by concerns about extreme temperatures, with pilgrims performing their rituals outdoors in peak daylight hours. Historically, deaths are not uncommon at the Hajj, which has seen at times over 2 million people travel to Saudi Arabia for a five-day pilgrimage. It has also seen fatal stampedes and other accidents. Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense said Sunday that drones were being used for the first time at the Hajj. These can be used for surveillance and monitoring, as well as extinguishing fires. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The Mainichi
4 days ago
- The Mainichi
A glimpse into diversity at Osaka Expo: Indonesia Pavilion staff pray toward Mecca
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